“For New Zealand, these events and the way our country has greeted them will be seen as inspirational by all who advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment,” Ms Clark said.

Jennifer Curtin, a professor of politics at the University of Auckland, said there was symbolic importance in Ms Ardern giving birth as it showed political parties around the world that it was fine to have younger women as candidates.

She said women often tended to be older when they entered politics. In other fields, women have been combining motherhood and paid work for decades, but it has only recently become more manageable thanks to paid parental leave.

Deputy prime minister Winston Peters has taken over as acting PM. Ms Ardern plans to take six weeks of leave before returning to work.

Under the arrangement, she will still be consulted on major decisions, including issues of national security. She has said she is confident the government will continue to run smoothly in her absence.

She said that after the birth, she hoped to have some quiet time to enjoy as a family.

Asked earlier this month how the couple had been faring in their quest to choose a baby name, Ms Ardern responded: “Terribly. Do you have any suggestions?”